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EP-4738994-A2 - COOKING APPLIANCE

EP4738994A2EP 4738994 A2EP4738994 A2EP 4738994A2EP-4738994-A2

Abstract

A cooking appliance including a heater that is vertically movable in a cooking chamber is proposed. The cooking appliance includes a casing having a cooking chamber therein, a door rotatably provided at one portion of the casing and opening and closing the cooking chamber, a heater provided at one portion of the casing and generating heat, a movable heater system provided at one portion of the casing and allowing the heater to be movable in the cooking chamber, and a detection function of detecting whether or not the heater is brought into contact with food in the cooking chamber or is spaced apart from the food at a predetermined distance and a function of detecting recovery of the heater to the original position. With the cooking appliance, there is an advantage in that cooking efficiency is improved and malfunction or damage to parts is prevented.

Inventors

  • SHIN, Jangmo
  • LEE, Jeonghyun
  • SHIN, Myeongjun
  • HWANG, Hansaem
  • SHIN, Myeongsu

Assignees

  • LG Electronics Inc.

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20221027

Claims (12)

  1. A cooking appliance comprising: a casing (10) in which a cooking chamber (12) is provided; a heater (210) configured to emit heat; and a movable heater system (100) configured to allow the heater (210) to be movable inside the cooking chamber (12), the movable heater system (100) comprising: a moving assembly (200) on which the heater (210) is mounted, the moving assembly (200) comprising a heater housing (220) configured to cover and protect the heater; a fixed assembly (300) provided at a portion of the casing (10); a link assembly (400) provided at a portion of the moving assembly (200) and movably connecting the moving assembly (200) to the fixed assembly (300); and a plurality of guide members (322) provided at the fixed assembly (300), characterized in that the guide members (322) are configured to contact the moving assembly (200) or an outer surface of a heater housing (220) to support and guide movement of the moving assembly (200).
  2. The cooking appliance according to claim 1, wherein the guide members (322) are configured to guide vertical movement of the moving assembly (200).
  3. The cooking appliance according to claim 1, wherein the heater housing (220) has a rectangular frame shape.
  4. The cooking appliance according to claim 1 or 3, wherein the guide members (322) are provided respectively at four corners of a protection cover (320) of the fixed assembly (300).
  5. The cooking appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the guide members (322) are configured to support the heater housing (220) as it moves between the fixed assembly (300) and the protection cover (320).
  6. The cooking appliance according to claim 1, wherein each of the guide members (322) comprises a roller (322a).
  7. The cooking appliance according to claim 6, wherein each of the guide members (322) further comprises a roller shaft (332b), a roller support part (322c), and a roller fixation end (322d), and wherein the roller fixation end (322d) is fixed to the fixed assembly (300).
  8. The cooking appliance according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the roller (322a) is made of an elastic material including rubber.
  9. The cooking appliance according to claim 1, wherein the link assembly (400) comprises a pair of front links (410, 420) and a pair of rear links (430, 440) spaced apart from each other forward and rearward.
  10. The cooking appliance according to claim 9, wherein each of the pair of front links (410, 420) and the pair of rear links (430, 440) is configured in an 'X'-shape such that two links cross each other to be rotatable about a center portion.
  11. The cooking appliance according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the link assembly (400) comprises a link frame (450) provided below lower ends of the front links and the rear links and coupled to the moving assembly (200), wherein first link protrusions (416) are accommodated in first link protrusion holes (452) formed in the link frame (450), and the first link protrusion holes (452) have transverse lengths such that the first link protrusions (416) are transversally movable while being accommodated therein.
  12. The cooking appliance according to any one of claims 9, wherein a connection link (460) connects lower ends of the front links to lower ends of the rear links.

Description

The present application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0146087, filed October 28, 2021 and Application No. 10-2022-0001821, filed January 5, 2022. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present disclosure relates generally to a cooking appliance including a heater vertically movable in a cooking chamber. Description of the Related Art A cooking appliance is provided to cook food accommodated therein by using heat of a heater provided as a heating source. Generally, the cooking appliance includes a main body including a cooking chamber that is a space accommodating food therein, at least one heater provided in the main body, and a door rotatably coupled to the main body and closing and opening a front surface of the cooking chamber. Recently, in order to increase the effectiveness of the cooking appliance, a steam generator as in Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2018-0126237 may be added to the cooking appliance. Furthermore, in the food thawing device disclosed in US4303820, a pair of flat electrodes defining a food thawing zone is provided, and one of the pair of flat electrodes is provided to be movable for insertion of a frozen food rod. In addition, a relatively low wattage power supply device provides even energy distribution across the food load for smooth heating (thawing). In the apparatus and method for reheating a package of refrigerated or frozen food disclosed in US8258440, the apparatus and method for reheating a package of refrigerated or frozen food are disclosed. In addition, the heating mechanism is in conductive heat transfer contact with the food package, and heats food to a reheat temperature, and is operated for a reheat time for reheating the food package, and then is maintained at the reheat temperature if desired. However, a link-type elevating system has been disclosed in the conventional cooking appliance, but due to the structure such as the heater descending by its own weight for thawing food, ascending and descending of the heater are not precisely performed, and a crash prevention with respect to food in the cooking appliance or original position control of the heater is insufficient. Therefore, there is a risk of leakage of electromagnetic waves in the cooking appliance and occurrence of safety accidents and failure due to product damage. Documents of Related Art Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2018-0126237, US Patent No. US4303820, US Patent No. US8258440, SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present disclosure has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the related art, and the present disclosure is intended to provide a cooking appliance with a heater moving vertically intentionally in the cooking chamber. Another object is to provide a cooking appliance configured to efficiently shield electromagnetic waves through perimeter of a heater system that is raised and lowered. A further object of the disclosure is to provide a cooking appliance configured to mechanically detect interference between a heater raised and lowered and food. In order to achieve the above objectives, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, a cooking appliance according to the present disclosure includes a heater moving inside a cooking chamber. Therefore, cooking is possible with the heater being able to move closer to food. The object is solved by the features of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments are given in the dependent claims. In the present disclosure, a system may be provided in the cooking appliance allowing the heater to be movable inside the cooking chamber. In the present disclosure, a detection function of detecting a contact status of the heater to the food or the amount of approaching of the heater to the food may be provided. In the present disclosure, a detection function of controlling the heater so that the moving heater is recovered to the original position thereof or whether or not the moving heater is recovered to a regular position thereof may be provided. According to the present disclosure, the cooking appliance may include a casing in which the cooking chamber is provided, a door rotatably provided at one portion of the casing for opening and closing the cooking chamber, a movable heater system including the heater emitting heat and allowing the heater to be movable inside the cooking chamber. Preferably, the cooking appliance may include a contact detection means detecting whether or not the heater is brought into contact with food inside the cooking chamber or is spaced a predetermined distance. Furthermore, the cooking appliance may include an original position detection means detecting whether or not the heater is recovered to the original position thereof. Furthermore, according to the present disclosure, the cooking appliance may include the casing in which the cooking chamber is provided, the door for opening and closing the cooking chamber, and the movable he